SCMA ANNUAL REPORT 2019

The for Professional Childminding in Scotland

For SCMA, this has been a year of changes, transitions and progress. I am delighted to have joined SCMA at such a critical time for childminding and the development of childcare policy in Scotland, and I’m also encouraged by the increasing influence that SCMA is gaining on your behalf.

Through our engagement with the Scottish Government, the Care Inspectorate and many local authorities, SCMA is the only national organisation dedicated to, and specialising in childminding, and working at a national, regional and local level on your behalf.

We were heavily involved in the development of the National Standard for funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) providers, ensuring the criteria are

proportionate to childminding settings. We also wanted to establish standards that are aspirational, as well as

achievable, for childminders providing equity across all ELC providers.

The Complete Childminding Learning Pathway – a Work Based Award, which was developed by

SCMA alongside SQA, enables childminders without formal

qualifications to achieve recognition for their

prior experience, skills and learning and

take steps towards a recognised qualification.

Childminders continue to achieve one of the highest quality ratings across all criteria in Scotland and this is a trend that we want to shout about. Childminding is a valuable and unique form of high-quality childcare, delivered by an experienced and professional workforce, that deserves to be valued and respected more.

Despite the challenges ahead of us, the statistics and feedback featured in this Annual Report serve to demonstrate the strength that SCMA has, and together with our childminder members I am optimistic about our future and that we can build on our success and continue to make a difference.

To continue this momentum, strengthen our influence and raise the profile of childminding even higher - we still need your help. You are our members. You are SCMA. And we need you to maintain and build on our work.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication.

Graeme McAlisterChief Executive Officer

A Voice for Professional Childminding in Scotland

SCMA is always striving forward; to champion the true value of the work we do every day and put our minded children at the heart of our work. That is why it has been a privilege to be part of SCMA and serve as the Board’s Convener.

This year we welcomed Graeme McAlister to the role of Chief Executive, following a rigorous application process led by myself, the SCMA Board and its staff, appointing him to take the helm and lead SCMA forward following Maggie Simpson’s retirement.

The childminding landscape is a challenging one at the moment, but we are confident that we have a strong team in SCMA, together with guidance from the Board who use their knowledge and experience to benefit the Association, and give our members opportunities to grow and develop for years to come.

There were many highlights last year, including the launch of the Complete Childminding Learning Pathway, another record-breaking Childminding Week and the Year of Young People taking centre stage at our SCMA Conference in Glasgow, where youngsters shared their special thoughts and childminding experiences. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house – they were outstanding!

Whether we are serving on the SCMA Board or within our own childminding settings and groups, we are all passionate about one thing – benefiting the lives and wellbeing of the children we care for by helping to make a difference.

We all play a part in maintaining SCMA’s Vision “quality childminding - building confident children within a family childcare experience” and I am looking forward to another successful year ahead.

Liz StewartConvener, SCMA

Liz

Championing the true value of the work we do every day

436 ITA applications

92% ofchildminders – ‘Good’ or higher across all inspection grades

Over

SCMA members across Scotland

4,000

484 new childmindersundertake our Childminding

Induction Support Programme

5,000We have

followers on Facebook

2,000We have

followers on Twitter

2,500Guides to

Becoming a Childminder

The national voice of professional childminding in Scotland

83%of childminders are members of SCMA

childminders on the Complete Childminding Learning Pathway

50Over

Helpline calls

1,600

families received vital support | SCMA Community Childminding

300Over

Our top Facebook post reached almost

people in Scotland

13,000

page views to childminding.org

565,476

hits to our Childminder Search Service

76,596

1,500Over

people attended Childminding Day 2018

Please note: All figures correct as of June 2019

Annual Report 2018-2019Finance

Income and Expenditure Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2019.

2018 2019

Incoming Resources Incoming Resources from Generated Funds

Voluntary Income Memberships, Subscriptions and Gift Aid 221,707 219,379

Other Grants 0 46,287

CYPFEIF Core Funding 285,000 285,000

Activities for Generating Funds Project and Service Agreement 148,442 137,576 and Administration

Income from Insurance Sales 152,206 149,496

Sales of Publications 59,046 57,382

Conference Receipts 10,385 16,810

Advertising 3,750 3,800

Delivering Training to SCMA 91,360 82,333 Members

Investment Income Deposit Account Interest 6,082 7,653

Incoming Resources from Charitable Activities Project and Service Agreement Funding (excluding fees) 531,448 649,567

Total Incoming Resources 1,509,426 1,655,283

Resources Expended Charitable Activities 507,667 619,496

Generating Funds 770,535 771,169

Support Costs 95,978 102,167

Governance 99,785 111,388

Total Resources Expended 1,473,965 1,604,220

Net incoming/(outgoing) resources 35,461 51,063

Total Funds (brought forward) 950,283 1,001,346

From registration to membership of SCMA and beyond, the Childminding Induction Support Programme provides an excellent level of childminding-specific support to potential childminders, including the SCMA Helpline and one-to-one tailored support.

The National Standard will require new childminding services (registered since 2019) to complete appropriate induction in order to deliver the funded hours of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC).

SCMA secured additional funding from the Scottish Government to support potential childminders access our Childminding Induction Support Programme, following the closure of Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) in December 2018.

2,500 received our Guide toBecoming a Childminder

“It opens up your mind about what is required of you as a

childminder”

Help, guidance and support from experienced staff who understand childminding in Scotland.

of SCMA members are happy with their membership.

SCMA members continued to report satisfaction of the Helpline through our annual SCMA Membership Survey, with 85% rating it as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’.

Our Chief Executive has given evidence at the Education and Skills Committee, where a clear commitment has been given by the Scottish Government to the importance of commissioning childminders to deliver funded ELC.

Focussing on the expansion of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC), we were heavily involved in the development of the ELC Quality Action Plan and National Standard; promoting the enhanced and unique position of childminding within the demands of delivering high-quality funded ELC.

Despite some local authorities being slow to commission with childminders, SCMA continues to lobby them to ensure childminding is fairly represented in their ELC expansion plans.

68%of SCMA members

feel well informed

of our policy work

“Understanding the work SCMA do - I don’t know what we would

do without them”

“Their help staff are helpful, and website

is invaluable with great resources”

1,600Over

Helpline calls No question is too small!

95%

18 SCMA CHILDMINDING MAGAZINE I AUTUMN 2019 childminding.org 18

of childminders received a ‘Good’ or higher grade from

the Care Inspectorate across all inspection themes, with almost half of all childminders (48%) where the quality was deemed to be of the highest possible standard.

Our Community Childminding Service is going from strength-to-strength; providing a vital support to families in need in a timely way and helping to take the pressure off.

More than 900 families across Scotland have received support from our Community Childminders in the last three years alone.

• SCMA launched the Complete Childminding LearningPathway – a Work Based Award, which is a recognised SQAqualification worth 24 credits at Level 7 on the ScottishCredit and Qualifications Framework and is mapped to theSVQIII in Social Services (Children & Young People).

SCMA was successful in securing funding from EducationScotland to develop learning resources, specifically forchildminders to enhance their knowledge and practicesurrounding STEM (Science, Technology, Engineeringand Maths).

SCMA has vigorously lobbied for the Scottish Governmentand Skills Development Scotland to re-introduce and extendtheir Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) funding stream foreligible learners. Many childminders were unable to furthertheir professional growth due to the financial hurdle, andworking towards a qualification, such as the CompleteChildminding Learning Pathway, was not within reach.

Scottish Childminding Association 7 Melville Terrace, Stirling, FK8 2ND

childminding.org | information@childminding.org | 01786 445377

92%

24SQA qualification worth

credits at Level 7

900More than

familiessupported